Welcome to Ethnomusicolygy


external image images.jpgUntitled-2.gif

Orange stream( Orange Nation) did a research and study on ethnomusicology. Ethnomusicology is the study of social, cultural aspects of music and dance from every country and religion. In our class we are doing a research and study on African American cultural music. We have done much research and found much of the music that was before 1990's or later in 1990's to 2000's. For our last task we had to pick out three of the songs that we think are best to describe or related to African American cultural. The three songs we had to pick can be any songs from anywhere and time, the other song have to be from 1970 or before, also the last song it from a Non-English speaking country. Below you can continues to go down my page to check out the three songs that I picked as an example and how each song is related to African American culture.


Song #1uch

"You're not alone" Michael Jacksonmichael_jackson.jpg

Youre Not Alone - Michael Jackson



Song: "You're not alone" ( 1970's )
Musicians and singers:
  • Michael Jackson
Genres: R&B & Soul
Synopsis: This song explain about a person life, and the struggle that they going though. This is similar to the blues that were created after the civil war. The blues were used to describe the difficulty of life, also in the blues they used the A,A,B pattern, which in this song you might find a very similar pattern to it. Also in this song there is a mix of hip hop, it have a rhythm and a beat that repeat though out the song. In hip hop is also something that a person used to tell a story about their life/ or other people lives. After listen to this song, you will get a feel of a hip hop mix blues, this is why this song is a relation to African American music.


Lyric:

Another day has gone I'm still all alone How could this be You're not here with me You never said goodbye Someone tell me why Did you have to go And leave my world so cold Everyday I sit and ask myself How did love slip away Something whispers in my ear and says That you are not alone For I am here with you Though you're far away I am here to stay But you are not alone For I am here with you Though we're far apart You're always in my heart But you are not alone 'Lone, 'lone Why, 'lone Just the other night I thought I heard you cry Asking me to come And hold you in my arms I can hear your prayers Your burdens I will bear But first I need your hand Then forever can begin Everyday I sit and ask myself How did love slip away Something whispers in my ear and says That you are not alone For I am here with you Though you're far away I am here to stay For you are not alone For I am here with you Though we're far apart You're always in my heart For you are not alone Whisper three words and I'll come runnin' And girl you know that I'll be there I'll be there You are not alone For I am here with you Though you're far away I am here to stay For you are not alone For I am here with you Though we're far apart You're always in my heart For you are not alone For I am here with you Though you're far away I am here to stay For you are not alone For I am here with you Though we're far apart You're always in my heart For you are not alone...





Song # 2



"Chuck Berry Johnny_b_goode"

Time : 1958
Artist: Chuck Berry

cberry.gif
Chuck Berry

Genres : Rock & Roll





Synopsis: This song was writing by Chuck Berry, this song was one of the rock and roll that he created. This song related to African American music because it was called a blues and country music which we now call rock and roll. Chuck Berry was one of the African American famous writer at the time that blues and country was popular. Audiences from the 50's-60's liked to dance to the sounds of music like country or blues. This song created by him so it was one of the African American music and related to African American music in the early of 1960s.


Lyric:



Deep down Louisiana close to New Orleans, Way back up in the woods among the evergreens... There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood, Where lived a country boy name of Johnny B. Goode... He never ever learned to read or write so well, But he could play the guitar like ringing a bell. (Chorus)Go GoGo Johnny GoGo GoJohnny B. Goode He use to carry his guitar in a gunny sack And sit beneath the trees by the railroad track. Oh, the engineers used to see him sitting in the shade, Strumming to the rhythm that the drivers made. People passing by would stop and say Oh my that little country boy could play (Chorus) His mother told him someday you would be a man, And you would be the leader of a big old band. Many people coming from miles around To hear you play your music when the sun go down Maybe someday your name will be in lights "Saying Johnny B. Goode tonight!"







Song # 3 ( From another language )

"emilie_simon_desert" (French)


Song name: Desert
Time: 2004
Artist: Emilie Simon
Genres: R&B

Emilie-Simon-Octogone-24-crop.jpg

Synopsis:

Many people would ask, how is this song relate to African American music. However, even if the lyric or the word is not in English and many of us may not understand with out reading the translation. This song can be relate to African American music in other ways. For example, the beat and the rhythm is like R&B because of the A,A,B pattern that the first two stanza is the same and the last one is different. In this song, the first two stanza she repeat the same lines of asking a question, and the third one is answer to her self. Also the instruments in the background of the drum that sound like bongos and the flows of the beat is almost like a blues because the beat repeat the same and slowly. This is why the song related to African American music in a way, and I chose it because it make the audience want to listen to the song and think deeply to the background music to see the relationship.


Lyric: (French)


Il pleut C'est malheureux Il pleut depuis ce matin Il veut S'emparer de mon être Sans paraître malhonnête Il pleut Dans ces gouttes de pluie Mes doutes s'enfuient Je ne m'ennuie plus Il pleut Mais ce n'est pas la pluie Qui occupe mes nuits Il pleut C'est malheureux Il pleut depuis ce matin Il veut Faire de moi une reine Est-ce que j'en vaux la peine ? Il pleut Dans ces gouttes de pluie Mes doutes s'enfuient Je ne m'ennuie plus Il pleut Mais ce n'est pas la pluie Qui occupe mes nuits


Lyric : (Enligh)


Where is sea ? I don't know why I was just looking for the sea, But the only thing I found was the desert, A desert around me... What can I see ? You closed my eyes when I just need to go and see... If you want me to be blind, I will stay here, With this desert around me... They would I can see is there nowhere land without you ? I don't know where I go in the desert, in the desert... with you... Where is sea ? I don't know why I was just looking for the sea, But the only thing I found was the desert, A desert around me... Where is sea ? I'am alone, I'am dreaming of the sea, But you're not here, next to me... (Break) They will I can see is there a nowhere land without you... I do not where I go in the desert... in the desert, With you....